1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for processing an end portion of a weather strip in such a manner that the projection of a hollow seal portion formed in the end portion of the weather strip in the longitudinal direction thereof can be eliminated, while the weather strip includes a trim portion and the above-mentioned hollow seal portion that projects from an outer surface of the trim portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 10A, a conventional opening trim weather strip 51 comprises a trim portion 52 to be mounted on a flange (not shown) provided in a door opening peripheral portion of a car, a hollow seal portion 53 with which a door (not shown) can be contacted, and a lip portion 54 for covering an edge portion of an inner garnish (not shown), while these respective portions are integrally formed as an united extrusion molding. Also, on an outer surface of the trim portion 52, which does not reach the hollow seal portion 53, a decorative high molecular layer 55 formed of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film or the like is formed and bonded by thermal fusion just after the above-mentioned extrusion molding. In most cases, a pattern such as an embossing pattern or the like is applied onto the surface of the decorative high molecular layer 55.
At least one end portion of the opening trim weather strip 51 in the longitudinal direction is inserted into a cover member such as a scuff plate, pillar garnish, a seat belt anchor cover or the like and, therefore, it is necessary to carry out a process which can eliminate the projection of the hollow seal portion 53.
As one popular method for removing the projection of the hollow seal portion 53, there is known a method in which, as shown in FIG. 10B, the hollow seal portion 53 is pressed into a flat shape and the thus formed flat pressed hollow seal portion 53 is bonded to the outer surface of the trim portion 52 with adhesives. However, in this processing method, since the two end portions of the flat pressed hollow seal portion 53 are caused to stick out from the trim portion 52, it is necessary to cut and remove the sticking-out portions 53a and, after the sticking-out portions 53a are cut off, there are seen cut marks 53b which in turn worsen the appearance of the end portion of the opening trim weather strip 51.
In view of this, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 5-642, there is provided a method in which, while the hollow seal portion located in the end portion of the weather strip is pressed into a flat shape and is pressure attached to the outer surface of the trim portion, the end portion of the weather strip is set in a split mold, a cavity is formed by a heating mold included in the split mold in such a manner that it is continuous with the end face of the weather strip end portion, and molding material is injected into the cavity to thereby form a mold-forming portion.
Also, such a hollow seal portion corner processing method as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 5-138684 can be applied to an operation to process the end portion of the hollow seal portion located in the end portion of the weather strip. In particular, as shown in FIG. 11, while the two end portions of the hollow seal portion 53 located in the weather strip end portion are cut and removed, the thus treated weather strip end portion is then set in a split mold 61. In this setting, a cooling mold 62 included in the split mold 61 is contacted with a decorative high molecular layer 55. Also, a heating mold 63 included in the split mold 61 is disposed opposed to the outer surface of a trim portion 52 which is caused to appear due to the removal of the two end portions of the hollow seal portion 53, while a cavity 64 is formed by the heating mold 63. And, molding material is injected into the cavity 64 to thereby form a mold forming portion 56, while the ordinary hollow seal portion 53 or the like is connected to the mold forming portion 53 in a gently inclined manner.
In the above-mentioned weather strip end portion processing method based on the applied use of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publications Nos. Hei 5-642 and 5-138684, there is solved the problem that such cut marks 53b as shown in FIG. 10B can be seen or exposed. However, there has been found another problem to be solved: that is, since the cavity formed by the heating mold of the split mold is very close to the decorative high molecular layer, the heat of the heating mold and forming material can be transmitted to the decorative high molecular layer so easily that the decorative high molecular layer can melt, which eliminates an embossing pattern or the like formed on the decorative high molecular layer to thereby worsen the appearance of the weather strip end portion. Even in the method shown in FIG. 11, in which the cooling mold 62 is contacted with the decorative high molecular layer 55, it is difficult to bring the cooling mold 62 into contact with the end portion of the decorative high molecular layer 55 located near the cavity 64 and, therefore, the present end portion of the decorative high molecular layer 55 is easy to melt.